FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions of the Port Washington Water District

This section contains the most “Frequently Asked Questions” received by the District. If your question or concern is not addressed here, please feel free to email us or call our office at: (516) 767-0171.

Question: Is tap water safe to drink?

Answer:
The District routinely monitors drinking water quality. Each of our wells is tested before distribution. All test results are reviewed by the Nassau County Department of Health and must meet State and County limits or water cannot be distributed to the public. The Port Washington Water District is pleased to report that the water supplied to the community meets all the standards required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of Health, and the Nassau County Department of Health.

Educational Information: Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Question: What is the source of the Port Washington Water District’s drinking water?

Answer:
The water source for the Port Washington Water District is groundwater pumped from 12 wells (ranging from 90’ to 600’ in depth) located at eight stations throughout the District. These wells are drilled into the Glacial, Port Washington, Magothy, and Lloyd aquifers beneath Long Island.

Question: Who is responsible for the repair of water service lines?

Answer:
The water service line and appurtenances are the property of the property owner and shall be maintained at their expense.

Question: When is the addition of chlorine going to stop?

Answer:
Part 5 of the New York State Sanitary Code requires all groundwater system to chlorinate its water supply. Waivers are no longer granted by the Nassau County Department of Health.

Question: Why do I have to pay for water that results from a leak?

Answer:
The Consumer is responsible for all the water that passes through the water meter including water caused by a leaking meter. Moreover, in the event a service line is leaking before the meter the District may estimate the cost of unmetered water.

Question: Is the water hard or soft?

Answer:
Generally the water has a soft to moderate hardness. For more information you can read the District’s Annual Drinking Water Quality Report on our Water Quality web page.

Question: Why do I need a backflow prevention device?

Answer:
There are many reasons why the Port Washington Water District requires a backflow prevention device. The most common type is a Double Check Valve (DCV). All residents with an underground sprinkler system, pool or who live in close proximity of the water must have a DCV backflow prevention device. The DCV is designed to contain water, which protects the public water supply from any backflow contamination. All installed back-flow devices must be inspected annually by law, by a Certified Back-Flow Tester. For more information about Backflow and Backflow devices, you can visit our Backflow web page.

Question: What does the Port Washington Water District add to our water?

Answer:
Water is treated at each well site before entering the distribution system with sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment and corrosion control and is disinfected with calcium hypochlorite.

Question: Does the Port Washington Water District add fluoride to the drinking water?

Answer:
No, the addition of fluoride is not a Health Department requirement.

Question: How do I find answers to additional questions?

Answer:
Please feel free to email us or call our office at: (516) 767-0171. You may also fill out a form on our Contact page.

The District has created Ordinances to preserve the health and safety of our consumers. Please review our rules and regulations.

Board Meetings: Held every Wednesday at 8:00a.m. In the event that a regularly scheduled meeting needs to be changed or an evening meeting needs to be scheduled for statutory or resident needs, a notice shall be posted in advance at the District Business Office. All meetings are held at the District Office, unless otherwise announced.